1 . English businessman Richard Branson made history on July 11, 2021 as he and three other crewmates became the world’s first space tourists. The flight was made by a spacecraft named VSS Unity that was built by Branson’s company, Virgin Galactic. The flight lasted slightly more than an hour, and took Branson and crew to an altitude (海拔) of 53.5miles above the Earth, just a little above the boundary (边界) of space which lies 50 miles above the Earth.

At that height, the atmosphere turns into the black of outer space and the Earth becomes a bent ball of blue. Travelers also exhibit weightlessness as there is no gravity, the force that keeps our bodies walking on the Earth’s surface. Therefore, Branson and his fellows were able to float around in VSS Unity while enjoying the views. They were able to do that for three minutes before the spacecraft began its downward journey. It landed back at Virgin Galactic’s space port in New Mexico, United States, which is the same place from where it had taken off 90 minutes before.

On landing back, Branson said, “I have dreamt of this moment since I was a kid but honestly, nothing could prepare you for the view of the Earth from space. It was just magical. I’m just taking it all in, and it’s unreal.”

July 11’s flight is the start of space tourism for one and all. In early 2022, customers who can afford a ticket for a quarter of a million dollars can line up for a seat on a trip to space. And guess what — they will have a choice of spacecraft. Jeff Bezos, who owns a famous company, is all set to launch himself into space on July 20 on board a spacecraft built by his new branch company Blue Origin. Blue Origin will also carry tourists to space.

1. What is Richard Branson famous for?

A．His success in tourism.

B．His company of Virgin Galactic.

C．His spaceship named VSS Unity.

D．His first commercial space travel in history.

2. What does Branson think of his space travel?

A．Unbelievable.

B．Adventurous.

C．Regrettable.

D．Worthless.

3. What do space tourists have to do?

A．Take a spacecraft of Virgin Galactic.

B．Pay $250,000 for the rocket tour.

C．Pass the fitness test for astronauts.

D．Line up for a position in Blue Origin.

4. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A．Humans will move to other livable planets.

B．Ordinary people will soon land on the moon.

C．Private rocket space travel is growing gradually.

D．Some companies abandon their proper business.

2 . If you’ve ever seen a sparrow steal your dog food or a crow open a garbage bag, you get a sense of that some birds have learned to take advantage of new feeding opportunities—a clear sign of their intelligence. Scientists have long wondered why certain species of birds are more innovative than others, and whether these capacities stem from larger brains or from a greater number of neurons (神经元) in specific areas of the brain.

It turns out that it’s a bit of both, according to a recent study by an international team that included members from McGill University published in Nature Ecology and Evolution.

The researchers used a new technique to estimate the number of neurons in a specific part of the brain called the pallium in 111 bird species. The pallium in birds is equal to the human cerebral cortex (大脑皮层), which is involved in memory, learning, reasoning, and problem-solving, among other things. When these estimates about neuron numbers in the pallium were combined with information about over 4,000 feeding innovations, the team found that the species with the higher numbers of neurons in the pallium were also likely to be the most innovative.

“The amount of time chicks spend in the nest as their brains develop might also play a crucial role in the evolution of intelligence,” says McGill University Emeritus Professor Louis Lefebvre who spent more than 20 years gathering examples of feeding innovations. “Larger species of crows and parrots, which are known for their intelligence, spend longer in the nest, which allows more time for the brain to grow and accumulate pallial neurons.”

The results of the study help to deal with previously opposed views of the evolution and significance of brain size and show how a life-history perspective helps to understand the evolution of cognition.

1. What may a sparrow be thought of when it steals dog food?

A．It is lovely.

B．It is immoral.

C．It is heartbroken.

D．It is intelligent.

2. What did researchers do with the 111 bird species?

A．Assessed the neurons in their pallium.

B．Tested a new technology on their brain.

C．Trained them to learn to feed individually.

D．Compared their pallium with the human cerebral cortex.

3. What is behind the intelligence of larger bird species?

A．Their large shape.

B．More time in their nest.

C．Their learning ability.

D．More feeding innovations.

4. In which section may the text appear in a newspaper?

A．Health.

B．Society.

C．Science.

D．Culture.

3 . More than 400 athletes across a variety of sports, ages and levels of experience were questioned for the study by sports psychology experts from Staffordshire University and Manchester Metropolitan University. The findings reveal that athletes’ belief systems — specifically irrational (非理性) beliefs — are related to poorer self-confidence, and in turn, greater competitive anxiety and depressive symptoms.

“Phrases that reflect self-depreciating (贬低) beliefs such as ‘If I lose, I’m a failure’ or ‘If I face setbacks, it shows how stupid I am’ are warning signs,” said the authors. Paul Mansell, Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University, said, “Despite the psychological benefits of physical activity, studies frequently report poor mental health in athletes, which may be exacerbated by adversities, such as injury, de-selection, and performance pressure. We investigated athletes’ beliefs, how they view stress, their levels of self-confidence and put all this data together to work out what might predict psychological well-being. We found irrational beliefs to be a core reason for symptoms of poor mental health in athletes.”

This is the first known study that has examined irrational beliefs, self-confidence, and the psychological well-being of athletes all together. Irrational beliefs are extreme, rigid, and illogical ideas that people hold. For example, a person might believe that they “must” get what they want, or that just because they have failed, they are a “complete failure”.

“We can all work to help athletes develop mindsets that help them deal with the challenges of sport and life. By encouraging rational and logical beliefs about performance, we can help athletes to stay healthy amidst the high demands of competitive sport,” said Paul Mansell.

The author s propose Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) as an effective tool for protecting self-confidence. REBT helps athletes to challenge these self-depreciating beliefs and develop beliefs that are more helpful and healthy. For example, rather than believe “I am a failure if I fail”, this might be countered with “Failing is not ideal, but it does not mean that I am a failure”.

1. What did the study centre on?

A．Physical health of athletes.

B．The competition state of athletes.

C．Psychological health of athletes.

D．Competition habits of athletes.

2. Which can best replace the underlined word “exacerbated” in paragraph 2?

A．Worsened.

B．Examined.

C．Promoted.

D．Recognized.

3. Which of the following is a sign of irrational beliefs?

A．Setbacks won’t stop me.

B．If I fail, I will lose everything.

C．It is a world full of competition.

D．What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Psychological benefits of physical activity

B．Effective tools for protecting self-confidence

C．Rational and logical beliefs about performance

D．Warning signs of poor mental health in athletes

4 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What is the report about?

A．A movie.

B．A storm.

C．A village.

2. How many houses were damaged altogether?

A．36.

B．14.

C．200.

3. What were the farmer couple probably doing when hearing a loud noise?

A．Preparing breakfast.

B．Repairing their house.

C．Looking for their children.

4. What was the old woman’s first reaction when her house began shaking?

A．Calling her husband.

B．Taking something out.

C．Rushing out with her grandchildren.

5 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is the woman doing?

A．Reporting to her boss.

B．Complaining of her boredom.

C．Apologizing to the man.

2. What is the man most probably?

A．A reporter.

B．A businessman.

C．A doctor.

3. What day is it today?

A．Friday.

B．Saturday.

C．Sunday.

4. What can we learn about the man?

A．He often quarrels with the woman.

B．His life is always easy and interesting.

C．He seems to understand the woman at last.

6 . Which film does Mike prefer?

A．The science fiction film.

B．The historical film.

C．The horror film.

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

The Secret

“Your secret is safe with me” was Ming’s promise when I told him that I wanted to learn ballet, which was unusual for boys and must be laughed at by most people in my place. I even dared not tell my parents about it.

Ming was my best friend at school. Wearing the same type of school uniform, Ming looked older and bigger, but we were the same age. We grew up together in the same neighbourhood and our parents knew each other well. Ming was always the first one to hear stories from me. I trusted him on everything and anything. One afternoon after school, we met at the balance bars on the school playground as usual. It was just the two of us. I gathered up courage and told him about my secret.

Ming seemed slightly surprised, but he soon smiled and agreed to keep it a secret for me, as he had done other times. We were best friends after all. After a few push-ups, we headed for our own homes.

The next morning, in the school corridor, just as I was about to wave at him and say hi, I noticed something was different. As soon as he saw me, he dropped his head and continued to walk on, avoiding eye contact with me. In the classroom, I couldn’t help casting frequent glimpses at his side—he wasn’t looking at me. In fact, he remained quiet all day. When the school bell rang, he picked up his schoolbag and left the classroom in a rush. Was it because of my secret? What did he do to my secret?

I ate very little that evening. Mum frowned when she saw the food I’d left in the bowl. Dad threw me a disapproving look and asked me how my day was. “It was OK,” I replied, “lots of homework to do.” I stood up, ready to leave the table.

注意：
1.续写词数应为150左右；
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

“Wait!” Dad raised his hand and gestured me to sit down.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Ming will remain your friend,” Dad comforted me.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

With the worldwide celebration of the Chinese New Year, traditional Chinese cultural forms such as the Yingge Dance (Dance of Heroes) and dragon and lion dances have once again attracted widespread attention.

As the Chinese New Year is increasingly celebrated     1     (global), it has brought its traditional celebrations elsewhere and seen people of other countries join the festivities. This Spring Festival, a team of Yingge dancers from South China’s Guangdong Province     2     (invite) to the UK, bringing an exciting performance to London’s Burlington Arcade     3     (celebrate) the Chinese New Year.

Literally     4     (translate) as the “Songs of Heroes” dance, Yingge Dance is an old folk dance     5     originated from the Chaoshan area of South China’s Guangdong Province. Dressed in colorful costumes, performers wave wooden sticks in their hands while     6     (dance) in orderly formations to the music.

Based on the stories of the 108     7     (hero) of Liangshan Mountain from the classic novel Outlaws of the Marsh (《水浒传》), this is     8     folk art combining a variety of forms, from martial arts and Chinese operas to dance.

From a centuries-old art form to a magnum opus (杰作) of Chinese tradition worldwide, the     9     (popular) of Yingge Dance on the streets of London during the Spring Festival was a success     10     terms of traditional Chinese folk art sailing overseas.

9 . British rower Helen Glover is preparing for her fourth Olympic Games, pushing herself to the limit. Despite enduring bloodied and blistered hands and pale skin, Glover knows that physical ________ are just one aspect of the intense training required for the Olympics.

For Glover, the real challenge ________ the day-to-day exhaustion and the constant ________ of waking up and training. With two gold medals from the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, her fourth-place finish in Tokyo was remarkable considering her ________ preparation. Just a year after giving birth to twins and four years after ________, Glover made the bold decision to ________ in the Olympics with only six months of serious training. Juggling (尽量兼顾) childcare with her ________ schedule, she managed to reach the starting line and ________ miss out on a medal.

After Tokyo, Glover initially ________ her retirement but later changed her mind and decided to compete in the coxless four (四人单桨无舵手艇) at Paris 2024. This time, her preparation is more straightforward, and her racing experience gives her an ________.

________ on her journey, Glover acknowledges that in the past, her happiness seemed dependent on results and success. However, becoming a ________ has shifted her perspective. Now, even on ________ training days, as long as her children are happy, she finds contentment.

Glover understands that her decision to continue rowing is a personal ________. Her growing success does not ________ her whole life, but she is determined to excel in the sport she loves and give her best.

1.

A．injuries

B．disabilities

C．commitments

D．anxieties

2.

A．arrives at

B．lies in

C．lets out

D．leaves off

3.

A．intention

B．devotion

C．exploration

D．repetition

4.

A．excellent

B．sufficient

C．limited

D．constant

5.

A．improving

B．preparing

C．training

D．retiring

6.

A．compete

B．coach

C．volunteer

D．advance

7.

A．amazing

B．breaking

C．working

D．demanding

8.

A．merely

B．narrowly

C．scarcely

D．hardly

9.

A．suggested

B．required

C．announced

D．arranged

10.

A．advantage

B．admission

C．impression

D．impact

11.

A．Depending

B．Carrying

C．Reflecting

D．Focusing

12.

A．rower

B．winner

C．loser

D．parent

13.

A．daily

B．tough

C．simple

D．usual

14.

A．choice

B．opinion

C．feeling

D．promise

15.

A．base

B．wave

C．define

D．affect

10 . Having a regular dentist check up is as essential for ensuring healthy teeth and gums (牙龈) as regular brushing and flossing. Here’s why you should make the trip.

Prevention is better than cure. Regular dental check-ups are recommended to maintain healthy teeth and gums.     1     Your dentist will advise you on what’s right for you. The aim of a check-up is to nip any problems in the bud, before you experience pain, lose teeth or have other health problems.

You’ve had a new medical diagnosis.     2     For example, high blood sugar levels in saliva caused by diabetes favour bacteria which can cause cavities (蛀牙). Some medications can cause oral problems ranging from dry mouth to stained teeth.

    3     More and more adults are having orthodontic (正畸) treatment to straighten their teeth. Not only does it make a huge difference to your smile, it can also prevent gum disease, which is more likely to take hold if you struggle to clean crooked teeth.

You’ve got bad breath. Halitosis (口臭) is embarrassing and can sometimes leave a nasty taste in your mouth. You might have a hole in your tooth, an infection or gum disease.     4     Your family and friends will thank you for it.

Check for cancer. Dentists don’t just look for cavities and unhealthy gums. They can also spot mouth cancer and refer patients to hospital to see a specialist. Cases have risen by 34 per cent in the past decade, according to the Oral Health Foundation.     5    

A．You want to improve your confidence.

B．You think it is time to have some changes.

C．However, early diagnosis can save your life.

D．Certain conditions can affect your oral health.

E．You might just be brushing too enthusiastically.

F．It varies from three months to two years depending on your oral health.

G．Your dentist can give you tips on freshening your breath more effectively.